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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28197864">Hope</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloody_roses/pseuds/bloody_roses'>bloody_roses</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Walking Dead (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Beth Greene Lives, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, The Greene Farm (Walking Dead), starts off in season 2, this very very loosely follows canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:02:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,032</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28197864</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloody_roses/pseuds/bloody_roses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The world came to an end and with it, everything Beth Greene ever knew. Her mother and brother died. She was thrown into a world of corpses walking around and eating whatever living they could. Then she found a boy shot by her own uncle and an entire group followed behind.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daryl Dixon/Beth Greene, Maggie Greene/Glenn Rhee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So basically this starts at the beginning of season 2, I'm changing the actual plot ALOT though so it only follows canon with major events. I really love the idea of season 3/4 character Beth back at the farm. I also changed her age to 18 and Daryl's to like 24 for plot bc let's be honest Hershel would not have let him anywhere near Beth in season 2.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Beth was out riding her horse, she did this when she didn’t know what to do with herself. It’d been weeks since her mother and brother’s passing. No one in the house was dealing with it well. Maggie was crawling inside herself, her dad was trying to convince everyone that this will be over soon. As if somehow it’s all just gonna end, someone in some far off lab will find a cure and life will just return back to normal. People will go back to work, and school, and the dead corpses roaming around eating people will just become a horrible memory. Jimmy is clinging to her like somehow she is the only thing holding him to the ground. All she wants is to be alone, but they almost never let her out of their sight. Afraid if she leaves the front porch she’ll trip and shatter when she hits the ground. As if they haven’t all shattered themselves. So when she gets a chance she straps the hunting knife Shawn gave her to her hip, sneaks out of the house and takes her horse for a ride. Trying to find some peace in the familiar trails. This morning she left before anyone in the house woke up. But it’s been about an hour and the sun has risen further into the sky, just as she starts making her way back to the house she hears a gunshot terrifyingly close. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It scares her horse Nelly, nearly throws her off. But she knows how to calm her down. For a second she considered scurrying back to the house, she doesn’t know who it was or why they fired a gun. But she knows she can’t live with herself if they need help and she doesn’t go. She kicks nelly’s rear and goes off towards the shot, she’s not riding for 30 seconds before she hears shouting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” says a familiar voice  </span>
  <em>
    <span>Otis</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s worried now, and follows the sound of the voices. She breaks through the trees and finds two men, otis, and a boy bleeding to death. All screaming at each other, Otis trying to tell them where the farm is, they haven't even looked at her yet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” she yells, they all turn in unison, I know where the farm is I can bring him. “My daddy’s a doctor, he can help.” who she assumes is the boy’s father looks up, his hands are covered in blood as she trys to stop the bleeding on his chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get on. Now.” he scrambles tryin to get the boy in his arms and onto the horse, in a frenzied state of panic. Not a second after he’s on she takes off, willing Nelly to run faster. It shouldn’t be but a 5 minute ride back to the house. She hears the man behind her sobbing, whispering the boys name</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Carl, oh carl, carl, my boy </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Beth feels a lump forming in her throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The farm comes into view and she starts yelling</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Daddy! Patricia! Daddy!” she’s screaming at the top of her lungs, hoping he see’s her and comes outside, they don’t have a second they can spare. He sees all of them gather on the porch, Maggie and Jimmy start running toward the gate to open it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bethy! What's going on!?” Hershel yells frantically once he gets a clear view of them. Truth be told, she doesn’t really know. Just saw someone needed help, and did what she could. She pulls the horse to a stop and hops off, Maggie helps the father and Carl down. That’s when the man speaks</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My boy was shot by your man, Otis. Said to come here, said to talk to Hershel that you could help. Please he’s dying.” he says desperately. That’s when it all clicks for Beth, the gun shot, Otis’s frantic apology’s, the actual wound on the boy's stomach. Before she knows it they're all rushing inside, her daddy’s helping the boy, telling Patricia and Maggie to get everything he needs. She just stands there. Knowing she’d be getting in the way if she went in, that’s when Jimmy comes up behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell were you doing out there?” he says, trying to suppress a yell. She doesn’t feel like dealing with this, she doesn’t ever feel like dealing with him anymore. But it’s not like she can just kick him off the farm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was riding my horse.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alone, in the woods, sneaking off without telling anybody with those things roaming around.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had my knife and I’m plenty capable of paying attention enough to get away before one got close.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if you had gotten hurt, or bit, or lost?” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lost?! </span>
  </em>
  <span>She grew up on this farm, she knows those trails better than anyone besides her family and maybe even then. She spent her childhood running around those woods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jimmy, I know that you met me a few months before we graduated and you know a very slim amount of who I am but I grew up on this farm. I know this land like the back of my damn hand so if anyone here needs to worry about getting lost it's you.” Then she turned around and brought Nelly back to her stall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she walked back she started to think of everything that was gonna happen after this, those guys didn’t have any supplies on them, but they looked fed, halfway clean, they had guns but no extra amo and they had a kid. There’s no way they didn’t have some sort of camp, or at least a group. Then there’s the kid, Carl, she didn’t know if they had the supplies to save him. But she knew if anyone could it was her father. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knew the only reason Maggie hadn’t started yelling right then and there about her being out was because she had to help with the boy. But once the dust settles, she’ll be lucky if they don’t all lock her in her room and feed her meals from a cut out hole in the door. They don’t think for one second she has what it takes to survive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>-- </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been a day and a half since Carl had been shot. Maggie blew up at her after she got done helping, screaming about how she was being reckless and stupid and she can’t be out there alone. Beth wanted to yell back, but she knew that no matter what she said or did Maggie saw her as her kid sister. ‘Course she did yell back but nothing she said stuck. Nothing ever did with them. She knew it was out of love and worry. Knew it was only out of Maggie’s fear of losing another family member. But then just that happened. They found out that Otis died trying to get supplies for Carl. Beth was so tired of death. Carving spaces out in their lives and leaving this heavy hollow hole. Making the house bigger and bigger. Making their hearts heavier and heavier. She and Maggie stayed with Patricia all night. They all cried but Patricia sobbed and sobbed and there was nothing either of them could do to help, to ease the pain. Around 5 am, when Patricia fell asleep Beth trudged up to her room and burst into tears at the sight of the guitar in her room, Otis had given it to her. Otis was the one to teach her how to play.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was in the kitchen, trying to make breakfast for her family. Staring out the window occasionally at the small camp the new group set up in their yard. She had yet to meet anyone besides Carl’s dad, who she learned was named Rick, then Shane, and Lori. They seemed like nice people. But still strangers, and she didn’t know what to make of the other new people. A boy that looked to be about Maggie’s age, a blonde woman, and an old man in a fishing cap. Those were the only ones she saw out at the camp. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a solemn breakfast with Patricia, Maggie, and Jimmy she slipped out while Maggie was doing the dishes and walked over to the camp. She approached the least intimidating person she saw, the boy Maggie’s age. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, I’m Beth. I’m Hershel’s daughter. I just came to introduce myself and meet you guys. Felt weird having y’all so close and not even knowing your names.” she said timidly</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I’m Glenn. You’re Maggie’s sister?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah that’s me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that’s Dale, Andrea, T-dog, Carol’s inside the RV and Daryl is off looking for Sophia.” he pointed in the direction of each person and she made a mental note to remember their names. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lori told me about Sophia, you know I know these woods pretty well I could help you guys look for her.” he did a poor job at hiding his doubt after she said that</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rick is getting a search party together, you should talk to him about it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay” she turned to walk away, unsure of what to say next</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey uh, I’m sorry about Otis.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She saw her dad watching her from the house and felt like she just got caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bethy, no need to go conversating with these people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was just going to introduce myself daddy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doesn't matter, just trust me on this.” but she didn’t trust him on this, the world was falling apart behind him and they just lost the only person in their family that knew how to shoot a gun. They needed protection just as much as Rick’s group needed a place to stay. She just walked inside and up to her room. She felt weird in it, she hadn’t changed anything about it since the turn. She wanted to, didn’t like to be reminded of a version of herself that no longer existed. But she just couldn’t get herself to change it, like maybe if the room stayed that same she could hold on to a sliver of who she was. The girl who wanted to go to Nashville and listened to Taylor Swift and dreamt of boys and parties and her future. She felt weird being idle, after so much happened. So she just began to write in diary. Wrote everything she felt, everything that happened. She didn’t notice how much time had passed until Maggie came to get her for Otis’s make-shift funeral.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was the first time she saw the group in full, aside from Carl. She quickly figured out who Carol was and assumed Daryl was the one standing next to her. He stood out like a sore thumb against the rest of him, like he had been surviving on his own for much longer than the rest of em had. The funeral was brief, daddy read a few passages from the Bible and Beth barely held back tears. But after these past few weeks she couldn’t bring herself to cry, especially not in front of all of these strangers. So she picked a small rock half way up the pile to stare at while he spoke. Then Patricia asked Shane to tell them about Oti’s final moments. Beth didn’t wanna hear it, didn’t wanna know. Because Otis didn’t die with his family by his side, he died surrounded by the dead with a man he didn’t know. But she listened and the words were now etched into her memory forever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If any death ever had meaning, it was his.” that was comforting at least and she could see how much it meant to Patricia. But something felt off about the story, everything he said sounded like Otis. But she couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn’t right, or that something wasn’t right. Maybe it's just because some part of her didn’t want to believe he was gone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That night she sat on the porch, staring off into the fields. That’s when she sees a figure off by a tree. She can’t make out who it is at first, but once she sees the light of a cigarette burning she assumes it's Daryl. She hadn’t seen any of the other’s smoke yet. It’s almost like the second she figured out it was him he figured out someone was looking at him, he turned his head towards the porch. If it hadn’t been so dark they probably would’ve made eye contact, he looked for a second and then walked back towards the camp they had. Something about him intrigued Beth. She could tell he was the protector of the group, whether they knew it or not. They way he stayed in the background but kept his eye on everyone earlier today. He had been out looking for that girl while the rest of them were hanging around here until Rick set up the search party. Something about him intrigued her, but she didn’t know why. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>The next morning she woke up early and headed down to the stables to feed the horses. Her daddy didn’t want anyone on the farm carrying around guns or weapons. But every time she tried to leave the house without her knife she remembers one of the last conversations she ever had with her brother. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Beth, I don’t know what's gonna happen. Hell I don’t know what's happening right now, but you need something to protect yourself with. This world’s already dangerous and it may only be getting worse,``Shawn sat across from her holding one of his favorite hunting knives, with a white marble handle and brown leather holder.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m scared. What are we gonna do?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Get through this, together.” he hands her the knife “I don’t know if you’ll ever have</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>occasion to use it. But better safe than sorry.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She tucks in her belt and uses her shirt to hide it. She goes out to the stables and starts putting grain in each of the horses buckets. She brought out some carrots and apples to give them each as well. She takes longer at her horse Nelly’s pen to brush her coat and spend some time with her. She doesn’t know the next time she’ll be able to properly ride her. She’s lost in her thoughts when she hears a footsteps coming up from behind her. Jimmy’s at the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodmorning.” he states in almost to cheery voice</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey I’m sorry, I know I’ve been quiet these past two days. I was just so mad, about you going off alone like that. Not telling me where you were.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” she shoots</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, I shouldn’t have ignored you.” in all honesty Beth hadn’t even noticed he was doing that, and that isn’t what she cares about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care about that, but do you really think that I have to tell you where I am all the time?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I want to protect you, who knows what could happen to you when you’re alone.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jimmy. I am not a child that you need to protect. You need to get your head out of your ass and stop looking at me like I’m some princess stuck in a tower.” she didn’t want to continue this, or entertain whatever bullshit he was about to say. So she just turned around and left. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She saw Rick and the others gathering around a map and headed straight for them. They were planning out the search for the little girl. She walked up to the truck and heard them telling some story about a chupacabra. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You believe in dead people walking around?” she scoffs at Daryl’s comment and they all turn and look at her. For a second she’s terrified to speak. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was hoping I could help with the search, I grew up here and know the woods pretty well.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does Hersehl know you about this?” Rick asks </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>, </span>
  <em>
    <span>well no going back now.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he said it was okay.” Rick looks at her, for a moment she thinks he knows she’s lying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, well thank you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll send everyone out in teams, me and Shane will cover the north west, Andrea and T-dog you guys got the north east, Beth you go with Andrea and T-dog.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m gonna borrow a horse, go further up the mountain. Get a better view..” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be careful which horse you take, mine's really nervous. She’ll throw you off without so much as a twig snapping if you don’t know how to keep her calm.” Daryl just looks up at her</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll show you which horse to take.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t speak on the walk to the stables, but can feel him reading her. She doesn’t know what else to say and it just sort of slips out before she can think better of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is Sophia your daughter?” he tenses at this questions</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. Just figured cause you and Carol seem close.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just know what its like to be lost in the woods alone.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve gotten lost in the woods?” she turns to look at him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Couple times when I was a kid.” She wants to ask him more but they are pressed for time and she has to go back to Andrea and T-dog. She picks out the best horse for riding alone and gets him a saddle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you see any more chupacabras let me know.” he simply scoffs but she can see a smirk on his face</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her, Andrea, and T-dog cover a lot of ground that day. She gets to know them a little better, she can tell Andrea’s holding a lot of grief by the way she talks about the world and that T-dog might just be one of the nicest people she’s met in awhile. She also learns more about their group, some of what they’ve been through in these past few months. She didn’t realize how good they’ve had it at the farm, even with everyone they’ve lost. Hearing about the CDC was a terrifying shock, she knows deep down that things are never going to go back to the way they were before but at least she had hope there was someone out there who knew what was going on. Now she understands that everyone, even the ones who were in the highest military or government positions are just as in the dark as them. And once they reach the end of their area and have to walk back to the farm completely empty handed, not even a small lead to go off of, she feels heavier than she's felt in months. Like all the light in the world is being taken away from them, bit by bit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They make it back to the farm in one piece, suns getting low in the sky. She just wants to go upstairs and take a shower, but she all but forgot about the part where she lied to the group and hadn’t told anyone in her family where she was going for a second time and when she walks inside the house she finds a furious father and Maggie looks like she’s about to bite her head off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They start their angry lecturing and Maggie’s shouting about how she can’t keep acting like this. Hershel’s stern talking is what trips her up, he starts talking about how the girl will probably not be found and these people won’t be around long. Beth is about to argue with him, tell him he can’t make them leave especially not without that girl. But before she can start to make her point a gunshot goes off and they all rush outside </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell is going on out here? Herschel yells, though no one answers him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Off in the distance they see 4 figures tumbelig towards them and Andrea running across the field. It looks like they’re carrying a dead walker for a second, but then she recognizes him. Daryl. He’s bleeding heavily from his side, some kind of head wound, and blood smeared all over his mouth. He looks like he’s barely holding on to life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After Herschel gave him stitches and strict bed rest everyone left him alone. He stared at the ceiling replaying the events of the last day. Unable to get the hallucination of his brother from his mind. Kicking himself for letting a walker get so close to the horse without hearing it. He let his guard down, slipped into his own mind thinking of the small conversation with Beth he had in the stables. First time he ever spoke to her and he felt like her blue eyes saw more of him than he’d allowed her to see. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a faint knock on the door and she walked in, carrying a small tray with a small dinner on it. He was lying in bed on his side, not sheet or shirt covering his back for how hot it is. She walks in just a little too fast before he can turn on his side. He knows she saw them, knows by the look her eyes though she keeps it off her facial features. She looked at him for a moment as she went to set the tray down, like she couldn’t figure out what to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, you doing okay?” He gave her a short </span>
  <em>
    <span>mhm</span>
  </em>
  <span> in reply. But she was more talkative than him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened out there?” he looked at her then, not sure why she’d care how she got injured. It cost them a horse and more medical supplies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Walker snuck up on me, got the horse. Fell down and got an arrow in my side.” she looked sad, probably about losing the horse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I’m glad you made it back, not very many could’ve.” she says it in an almost casual manner but there’s an underlying sorrow in her voice. It makes him uncomfortable to be talking to her while he lays injured in her house. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyone could’ve, Rick or Shane.” she looks at him like some small puzzle has just clicked into place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t know about that, just know that you did.” she pauses for a moment “Be sure to finish eating or it’ll take longer to heal, and try not to stab yourself with your own arrows again.” she says it with the same smirk she had this morning. He just scoffs in return, but the moment she’s out the door he’s wishing she had stayed a little longer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-- </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beth found herself in the hallway, picture Daryl in that bed with the bandage around his head. Hoping he actually listened to her daddy and rested long enough to heal. She wasn’t paying attention when she rounded the corner of the hallway and ran right into Carol. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m so sorry I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Carol stepped back, same sad look she’s had sice she’s got here. Beth can’t imagine what she’s going through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re fine dear, I should’ve been looking too. I was actually just coming to find you. Wanted to thank you for going to help look for my daughter today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just trying to help, no need to thank me for that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still, it means a lot to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s gonna be found, Daryl just brought back her doll.” beth gave her a compassionate smile “I’m gonna head on up to bed, try and get some rest.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You too dear.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beth walked up to her bedroom and quietly closed the door. She meant to go take a shower wash off the day she’s just had, but as soon as the door closes behind her and she has a moment of solitude she bursts out into tears. She cries for what feels like hours, she cries for their horse, she cries for carol and her daughter, she cries for her Shawn, Otis, and her mom, she cries for Daryl and the scars she knows she was not supposed to see. But most of all she just cries for the world and everyone who now has to live this life. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay I know that he gets knocked off the horse because it was nervous nellie but I wanted to make them have to go to the stables together and plant a seed for a future event. Sooo bare with me now. I hope you like the story so far and I'm gonna start updating regularly the holidays have just been a hard time this year. I can't wait to get further into this fic!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wasn't sure how to tag it but here's the trigger warning there is attempted physical abuse in this chapter and also a lot of mentions of smoking cigarettes, it's a couple of paragraph in.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The next morning she finds herself standing outside the door to Daryl’s room, Herschel told her to go bring him some water and breakfast. But when she opens the door she finds an empty bed. He’s supposed to be on bed rest for another day but she can see why he’d leave, she knows he’s not the type to listen to anyone but himself. She walks outside to go at least try to tell him to rest today, she spots him sitting over by the same tree smoking a. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know you’re supposed to be in bed, right?” he doesn’t move an inch, just keeps smoking his cigarette like he knew she was coming. He turns his head towards her then and just gives her a quiet grunt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tried to bring you breakfast this morning, low and behold you’d already checked yourself.” he scoffs at that</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, don’t really like being inside.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just promise me you’re actually gonna get some rest today. Those stitches could come out easily and the puncture in your side isn’t gonna heal right if you’re moving around.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm” is all he says. Then Beth does something she wasn’t expecting herself to do, sits down next to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know I’ve never smoked before, Maggie would always carry a pack in her jacket when she went on dates. So one time I tried to sneak one, but I ended up throwing it in the pond.” he just looks at her for a second, amusement on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gross habit anyway.” not a second later and takes another drag and she just laughs. She felt comfortable here, around him. She’s just about to ask if he could spare one, give her an excuse to sit around for a couple more minutes when Jimmy comes over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beth what are you doing out here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just checking up on my dad’s patient here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well would you come inside so we can have that talk.” she doesn’t even know what it is he wants to talk about at this point. But she doesn’t wanna put anyone else through listening to a young couple bicker so she just nods and gets up to leave. She turns to look at Daryl and he’s just staring off into the distance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She figures they’re just going to go inside but he walks all the way up to her bedroom and closes the door before speaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wanna tell me what you were doing out there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was checking on the person who is supposed to be on bed rest. The thing my dad asked me to do.” she says through gritted teeth, annoyed at his need to control her and apparent jealousy over nothing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well just seems a little weird you cozying up to that redneck meanwhile never speaking to me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jimmy, I’ve spoken to the man 3 times. Nobody’s “cozying up” and I don’t know if you noticed but the world literally ended and I’ve lost 3 members of my family in the past 2 months. Excuse me for not putting a highschool relationship at the top of my list.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you kidding me? Do I really mean that little to you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Jimmy of course you mean something to me, but nobody is in the headspace to focus on anything but keeping themselves putting one foot in front of the other.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well somehow you found the time to start talking to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is this really what this is about? Are you kidding me? Jimmy you’re acting like a jealous child. I’m allowed to speak to other people than you and my family.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you’re acting like this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what, I can’t believe you’re acting like this. Listen Jimmy, I don’t have this in me. I don’t have the emotional space right now to do anything but wake up and keep myself breathing. I can’t do this, not anymore.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you saying?” she looks him in the eye, expecting to see hurt. But all she see’s is anger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look I’m sorry, but I can’t handle a relationship. I don’t have whatever it is you need and you don’t have what I need.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you kidding me? After everything you just wanna end it? What so you can go fuck off with some idiot who almost gets himself killed looking for a little girl everyone knows is dead?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wouldn’t risk your life even if it meant saving 20 others. So maybe I would rather go fuck off with someone willing to die for a child. If that meant I didn’t have to continue having this conversation with a coward.” he looks like he’s about to rip her head off, like he’s about to scream until his lungs give out, instead he does something she never thought he would do. Raises his hand back, pulls his knuckles together. Staggering towards her. There’s no time to react and Beth doesn’t know what she would do even if she has the time. He swings his fist down, but stops abruptly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Beth I’m so sorry. You’d know I’d never hurt you. I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get out. Get out now!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think I’m the bad guy, just wait until you find out what your father has in that barn.” and then he turns and stomps off. She doesn’t know what that means, she doesn’t know what to do. She wants to waltz right out there and start yelling, make him feel as small as he just tried to make her feel. But she can’t, she can’t let everyone know. Not with everything going on. And now she has to figure out what's in the barn. Why her daddy would keep something from her she didn’t know, but she was scared to find out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She tried to figure out how to get to the barn without anybody seeing, but everyone was out. Doing this chore or that, she’d never get there without anybody seeing. So she’d just have to go at night. She went back inside to find Maggie, she isn’t sure why but with Jimmy this afternoon and the looming question of the barn she just wants to talk to her sister. But she finds her preoccupied, helping Lori and Carol set plates at the dinner table. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Bethy, could you go grab some bowls and start setting out the food.” she completely forgot about the dinner they were having tonight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure thing.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The dinner was awkward, no one knew what to talk about. She wanted to try and help bring the conversation to life, to help bond her family and Rick’s group. But all she could focus on was the barn and getting out to it without being seen by her family. She heard Glenn ask something but she was too lost in thought to pay attention. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Beth can.” she looked up curiously and saw Glenn holding a guitar and put two and two together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t you play something for us?” that felt like an odd request to Beth, she couldn’t think of a reason why anyone would want to hear her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not that good.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh come one, I’ve heard you when you used to practice. You are.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d love to hear you play.” This came from an unexpected voice, Lori. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We could all use a little music right now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, I can play one song.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Glenn walked over and handed her the guitar, she backed her chair up to hold it properly and to give her a little bit more time to think of a good song to play. She knew a lot of dixie chicks, taylor swift, old outlaw country songs. Her father saw she was trying to think of a song. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about Paddy Reilly?” Beth wants to say no for a second, it reminds her so much of her mother. But she doesn’t, because maybe that's why she should sing it. To keep their memories alive was all they had left. She was too nervous to look at anyone so she just stared out the open window and started to play. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The Garden of Eden has vanished, they say </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But I know the lie of it still</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span> Just turn to the left at the bridge of Fenagh</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And stop when halfway to Cootehill.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>'Tis there I will find it,</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She saw something move on the porch, a figure adjusting in the darkness. Then she saw him, Daryl. He was looking at her from the porch, listening to her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I know sure enough</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When fortune has come to me call,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh the grass it is green around Ballyjamesduff</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And the blue sky is over it all.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And tones that are tender and tones that are gruff</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Are whispering over the sea,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Come back, Paddy Reilly to Ballyjamesduff</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Come home, Paddy Reilly, to me"</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She finished the song. And saw him stare at her and silently leave the porch. She looked back at everyone sitting at the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was beautiful.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you Carol.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She set the guitar behind her and went back to eating and a quiet conversation started between all of them. Jokes made and a little laughter, not much. But a lot better than before. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She waited till she was sure no one would be walking around outside to try to leave. She went out the back door and made a beeline for the barn. The doors were locked, chained from the inside. She went to a small ladder outside and climbed up to the hayloft. She hadn’t even considered what it could be, she trusted her father. Hell maybe Jimmy just made something up to get her to not think about what he had done. But then she heard a growl and her blood went cold. She edged her way onto the hayloft and shown the flashlight down. That’s when she saw them, a dozen of them. All growling, reaching up towards her. And way in the back she saw her mother, the same sundress she had on the day she died and right next to her was Shawn. Seeing them like that, empty eyes and a decaying face. Something inside Beth broke. She fell to her knees, the growls becoming so overwhelming. Tears were streaming down her face and she couldn’t breathe. That’s when she heard someone behind her, a small stream of light came in through the window. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beth, Beth are you okay?” it was Glenn, she didn’t know what to do. She looked up at him as he looked towards them. Terror widening his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on.” he reached down to get her up. “We have to get out of here.” She let him drag her away from the hayloft. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They lied to me. They said they buried them.” it came out as a whisper, Beth didn’t even think Glenn heard it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t know?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That's when Maggie showed up, running through the yard like a mad woman. She took one look at Beth and knew what happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You weren’t supposed to see that.” That's all she said, about keeping it a secret that her mother and brother were being kept undead in a barn by their father. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You knew? You knew about this? You didn’t tell me? Dad said they were buried! Why did he lie? Why did you lie? What the hell is that?” Beth’s voice was getting louder. She didn’t care. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beth, Glenn, please come inside and I’ll explain.” Beth didn’t want an explanation, how could anyone explain this.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Daddy thinks they’re sick.” that’s all she said for a minute, they were sat inside Maggie’s room. Whispering in hushed voices so they didn’t wake anyone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That why he lied about burying my mom and our brother? That why you lied about it?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know until this morning. Jimmy came back from the barn, all shaken up. He looked, worse than I ever seen him. I tried to talk to him but he just brushed me off. I was curious, thought maybe you two had been out there and got into some kind of fight so I went to find you. I didn’t, I found them. So I went to talk to daddy and he started going on about how its just an illness and illnesses have a cure. Him and Otis, they’re the ones that were doing it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s no coming back from it.” Glenn whispered “I was at the CDC, all of us were. There was only one guy left, told us about how all the places that could even hope to find a cure fell apart. Walkers aren’t sick. They are dead, there’s no way to bring the person they were back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beth pondered this for a minute, the crushing realization that there really is nothing left sat on her chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw one, when I was out riding one morning. Crushed by a tree. The only thing left untouched was an arm and the head. It was still biting, growling, no human can do that. There’s no illness that can keep a living person alive through that.” Beth said quietly.  “We have to get rid of them. We can’t let them continue on like that.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you suggest we do?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kill them, my groups taken down plenty of Walkers. We do it in a controlled way so that no one gets hurt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My daddy isn’t gonna let that happen and if you do it anyway he won’t let you guys stay.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What if we do it, just you and me Maggie. That way he can’t blame them. It’ll break his heart. But we can’t, we can’t leave our family like that and we can’t keep them in danger.” she says pointing out towards the camp. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How would we even go about doing that? It’s not like sharpshooters, I don’t even remember the last time I held a gun.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then what do we do?” Beth felt her heart tightening, her world was turning upside down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to convince dad, it’s the only way we’ll be able to” Maggie paused for a second, stared off out the window with more sorrow in her eyes than she’d allowed Beth to see up until now. “to keep Glenn’s group safe.” that’s all she said, but Beth knew what almost came out of her mouth. Knew what comes with this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beth couldn’t sleep, not with the everything the next day would bring. She slipped out of her room, careful to keep her boots off the creaky spots on the stairs and sat out on the porch. She sat out there for a minute before she heard a quiet foot step behind her and whipped around. Only to find Daryl standing on the porch a few feet from her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s with you and sneaking around on porches?” it meant to sound like a joke but it came out with more edge than intended</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just easier to keep an eye out if I walk around a bit.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah, I forgot you guys always have someone on watch.” she paused for a second “We probably should too, but I don’t think my dad’s ready to admit what the world is now.” she tried to keep her eyes from trailing over to the barn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nobody is.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are, you look like you understand this world better than anyone.” she doesn’t know where she got the nerve to say that. And hopes he doesn’t take it the wrong way. He just looks at her for a moment, crossbow hanging on his back fidgeting with the strap around his shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My world’s always been ugly.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well maybe you’ll have to help the rest of us along then.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm.” there's a stream of moonlight over him, and Beth can’t help but notice how beautiful he looks like this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have any extra cigarettes I could borrow off you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Long way to say ‘can I bum a smoke’?” she chuckles at that</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not like I’ve ever asked anyone before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I do, but this better not end up with your dad coming after me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh please, it’s just a cigarette.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He reaches into his shirt pocket and hands her a cigarette and a lighter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know how or you want me to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve seen movies I think I’ll be fine.'' She takes the cigarette between her teeth and starts to light it but the wind keeps blowing out the flame. Daryl cups a hand around it to help and the proximity of his hands to her face is not lost on Beth. She examines his hands while fiddling with the cigarette, making note of the calluses and just how big his hands actually are. She compares them to all the boys she’s ever been with before, with small, soft, usually sweaty hands. He pulls them away and she pulls herself out of her thoughts. Inhaling the smoke, before she can even finish she coughs. Not loud, but enough to embarrass herself. A small scoff comes from his mouth and she feels her face turn red. But keeps smoking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get why people smoke. I used to think it was this disgusting habit couldn’t imagine why anyone would ever do it. Then I got my first job, just a fast food place. But there was this old woman I worked with a lot, she smoked. I guess she had for awhile, she’d been working there for a while. Couldn’t get a job anywhere else, and every break she got she went outside in the back and smoked. I realized why then, when everything around you sucks and you’re up to your waist in stress, gives you something to look forward to. Even if its small, and deadly, its something.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guess everybody’s gotta have something.” They didn’t talk much after that, just sat on the porch, in comfortable silence. Beth tried to keep her mind from thinking about tomorrow. Tried to keep herself from letting the panic bubble over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gotta get back to patrol.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be safe.” and then he walked off, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was one of the last quiet moments she would have for awhile. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay Okay I know Jimmy wasn't like this in the show but I honestly wanted to add more depth to his character to justify his death and a lot of what happens later on in this story. Thank you so much for reading!! I really hope you're enjoying it!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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